Eastern Washington defense learned from early mistakes against Montana

Lost in the Eastern Washington’s second-half comeback last weekend at Montana was a remarkable third quarter for the Eagles’ defense.

And a remarkable play, probably the turning point of the game.

For the Eagles, and especially junior linebacker Ketner Kupp, the timing couldn’t have been better.

“Actually, it was about time,” laughed Kupp, who saw his first action of the season after missing three straight games with an ankle injury.

Kupp couldn’t have asked for a better moment to make an impact. Kupp was on his way to a 10-tackle evening, his family was in the stands and the Eagles had just closed to within a touchdown in the team’s Big Sky Conference opener.

On first-and-10 from his 20, Montana freshman quarterback Gresch Jensen dropped back, looking for an open man. Alertly, Kupp took away the short route. Jensen had to hesitate.

The receiver took off, but EWU lineman Jonah Jordan closed in on Jensen and forced a bad throw that safety Josh Lewis picked off at midfield. One play later, running back Sam McPherson turned a short pass from Gage Gubrud into a 50-yard touchdown and the game was tied.

“It was definitely a good feeling to make plays that affect the game,” said Kaleb Levao, a redshirt sophomore from Mead School who’s getting more playing time after Jay-Tee Tiuli was sidelined by injury

It was just one play, but it meant so much – Saturday night and beyond.

While Eastern continued to move in fits and starts in the third quarter, the Eagles held Montana to 68 yards. Most of them came on a 10-play, 48-yard drive capped by a field goal.

Montana’s three other possessions netted a total of 23 yards.

The turnaround was mental as well as physical. Montana completed a Hail Mary pass just before halftime to put the Eagles in a 24-6 hole, but EWU seemed unfazed.

“You just have to let it go. … That play, I think it was the commitment to fight – this team has a will to keep fighting no matter what happens,” Jordan said.

What happens next is a matchup with Sacramento State’s Kevin Thomson, a dual-threat quarterback who threw for three scores and ran for four last week in a 54-27 win over Southern Utah.

“That dual threat, just like Gage, you have to be careful,” said senior tackle Andre Lino, who said the Eagles learned a lot from their struggles in the first half at Montana.